The field of orthodontics is fairly well defined as to the movement of teeth and the time periods required to effect certain movements. During the treatment process the orthodontist will normally have in mind the types of orthodontic appliances she intends to use, however, specific sizes of appliances are dictated by each individual patient. For example, when fitting a patient for orthodontic brackets, the orthodontist must select from any number of different sizes for each individual tooth in order to properly fit the patient. This is a trial and error process wherein the orthodontist will remove an orthodontic appliance from a tray provided by the manufacturer and place the orthodontic bracket on the tooth, without attaching it, so that the orthodontist can measure the size of the bracket in relation to the size of the tooth and to determine the proper angulation built into the bracket. If the orthodontist has incorrectly selected a particular orthodontic bracket, that bracket must be sterilized before being returned to the tray from which it came. The same trial and error process can occur for buccal tubes, bands, archwires and other appliances. Thus, at the end of a fitting, the orthodontist may be faced with dozens of orthodontic appliances which need to be sterilized and replaced to their respective trays. Also, any tools used in the mouth such as pliers, must be sterilized.
As a result of the sterilization process, the orthodontic appliances become commingled and are difficult to identify because of their small size and nearly identical shape. In order to more easily identify orthodontic appliances, various methods have been employed such as color coding portions of the appliance. Unfortunately, the color tends to wash away with the sterilization process leaving the orthodontist with the task of sorting through unmarked appliances.
Others have marked the orthodontic appliances by remelting a portion of the appliance such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,402 to Rohlcke et al. It is possible, due to the small size of the orthodontic appliances, that remelting will weaken the appliance and in any event it causes a roughened surface in the area of the remelt.
What has been needed and as yet been unavailable is a convenient method of marking an orthodontic appliance that will not wash away during sterilization and does not weaken or disrupt the surface of the orthodontic appliance such as in the Rohlcke et al. patent.